Her Curiosity
by JadedLogic
Summary: Gelphie! Mostly book verse. Galinda loathes Elphaba but can't help finding her curious. More exposure to the brunette has her reevaluating her original opinion in an unexpected way. M to be safe for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is mostly a bookverse Gelphie fic. I love these two and just had to. Enjoy. :)**

It just wasn't fair she, Galinda, of the Upper Uplands, hadn't intended on rooming with anyone let alone that green freak!

"Madame Morrible you can't put me with her-"

"Of course I can. Now please I am a very busy woman. " Madam Morrible quickly walked away leaving behind the two stunned girls.

"I'm not any happier about this than you are." Elphaba growled.

"I find that hard to believe considering I'm the one giving up my private suite for _you_."

"Oh please,"Elphaba drawled. "That's hardly a sacrifice. You're just upset you didn't get your way."

"I deserved that suite! You probably got carted in with the produce!"

The fire that had been growing in Elphaba's eyes burned even brighter.

"Look I don't like you and you don't like me. That's fine I'm used to it. I'm here to learn not make friends so I won't bother you if you don't bother me got it?"

"Good." she huffed crossing her arms

Elphaba pursed her lips and grabbed her suitcase leaving her behind in the now empty hall.

 _Ugh!_ She was so _infuriating_ and that dress what an ugly outfit!

With another huff she spun on her heels in search of better company.

"I can't believe that Madame Morrible took away your private suite!"

"I know me too! "

She found a group of girls willing to listen to her story. They were mostly rich upper class like herself. Shenshen, Pfanee and Milla. Her mood was slightly lifted in their presence. They seemed like the type of people she might find friends in.

"I just love your dress!" Milla said and she felt giddy at the compliment.

"Thank you!" She looked at her fellow students attire. A beautiful white though not as frilly sundress. It was in her nature to return a compliment but there was quite a bit of commotion coming from the other end of the room.

"She's green!" somebody shouted.

"What's wrong with her?"

Elphaba stormed past them all bitterly until their staring and talk proved to be too tiresome for her.

"What? What are you all looking at? Oh—do I have something in my teeth? Alright, fine—we might as well get this over with: No, I'm not seasick; yes, I've always been green; no, I didn't eat grass as a child…"

Several students jumped back a little as she neared them and Elphaba threw up her hands in exasperation. "Fine!"

She continued moving through the crowd and when Elphaba's eyes landed on her the brunette stiffened defensively. She sneered in response she just loathed her.

"I see the cabbage has left the patch." she said lifting her chin up slightly getting a good laugh out of the others.

"Oh how charming " Elphaba replied flatly. "By the way I took the liberty of moving all of your things off _my_ side of the room." With that Elphaba continued on her way quickly moving past the crowd. She didn't even get a chance to reply!. It was such a good comeback too!

"That's your roommate?"

"Yes…"

"She disgusting!"

"I know."

"I don't know how you're going to put up with her. I couldn't."

Elphaba was still in hearing range to their conversation and even though she wanted to continue saying mean things about her roommate even she wasn't that harsh.

"I'll have my side of the room and she hers."

"Yeah but it's the fact that you have to sleep in the same room as it. Aren't you afraid you'll catch the green?"

"I'm not sure it works that way...You'll have to Excuse me everyone but I have to go unpack."

They nodded and bid her farewell.

She didn't expect her things to be in order. Elphaba had made it sound like she tossed her things but her suitcases were stacked neatly on top of each other. It had to take great patience and consideration on her part after all the things she said to her….Perhaps she wasn't so bad after all.

It was well over an hour of unpacking and lining up her shoes just right when Elphaba made her appearance. She held that same defensive stance as earlier when she shut the door behind her but she never said a word.

Elphaba took several long strides across the room and opened her dresser. The green girl sorted through her clothing, with an odd sort of grace. Meticulous yet rushed and when she decided to speak out she did so flatly .

"Do you plan on staring at me all night?"

She recoiled briefly. Elphaba hadn't even turned her head in her direction. She was still looking for an article of clothing in her drawer.

"Of course not I was just trying to figure out why a talking artichoke would need to sleep!"

Elphaba was unflappable. Not a scoff, a roll of her eyes or shake of the head it was like she had never even spoken a word to her.

She pouted and reflected on why her lack of a reaction bothered her so.

When Elphaba located the piece of clothing she was looking for and went into the bathroom she felt unexplainably perturbed.

She pulled out her own nightgown and waited for her to finish. It was getting late and the thought of having bags under her eyes from a lack of sleep made her antsy.

"Oh do hurry up!" she yelled outside the door "I need my beauty sleep." She couldn't have been in there for more than a minute or two. She was certain but Elphaba soon strolled on out.

"Oh yes. You need quite a few centuries from my calculations."

She snapped her head towards the brunette as she walked by her. _Did she really just say that?!_ Elphaba calmly went over to her bed and got beneath her covers.

"Times wasting." Elphaba reminded her and she rushed into the bathroom.

* * *

They rarely saw each other other than when they turned in for bed. There was one class they shared together but they sat on opposite sides of the room and pretended the other didn't exist. Weeks passed, and then came the day Galinda would call the start of friendship. She just didn't realize it at the time.

Elphaba was jackknifed up against the headboard on her bed, reading, perusal, wrapping a strand of hair around her finger that never took any other bend to it. It was always straight even if she curled it there for hours on end. She liked Elphaba's hair if anything. It had a beautiful sheen to it like oak leaves after a rainstorm.

She had dropped down onto her own bed, spread eagle, exhausted and frustrated with everything. Social ladders, boys, school work….

"Ughh. The people at this school are so incredibly thickheaded!"

She covered her face with a pillow and after a short moment heard a reply.

"I couldn't agree with you more. Though, thickheaded is being conservative."

She removed the pillow from her face and turned towards Elphaba. The brunette was still reading, eyes scanning slowly over the large tome in her lap

It looked musty and she scrunched her nose in distaste.

"At least you don't have to do anything with them."

At this, Elphaba marked her place in her book and calmly set it aside. Elphaba never stopped reading. She felt a little wave of panic when she realized there would be nothing in between them. It was easier being around Elphaba when those intense brown eyes weren't locked on to her.

"You don't _have_ to do anything ."

"Of course I do I have a reputation to uphold."

"Is a good reputation worth self deprivation?"

"Well-I..I don't know." she was sputtering embarrassingly.

"I don't think it is."

"Well you wouldn't know. You're not me. You don't have to put up with Shenshen and Pfanee!"

"Oh right because I've never been forced to join in on your after school activities. I've been spared their unbearable presence….."

Elphaba was keen to sarcasm and for some reason it made her like the girl more. Even if she wasn't sympathizing with her.

"Miss Elphaba I don't think you'll ever understand. "

"Nor I you." she challenged.

"Pfanee and Shenshen have wealth and a good social standing like myself. If I don't keep them as friends I'm bound to be seen as less desirable by everyone!"

"Do you hear yourself? You sound as thickheaded as they are right now. You don't need anyone to make yourself more desirable. If you ask me nobody should. It shouldn't work that way ."

"Well it does and I hate it." She grabbed the pillow and buried her face once more.

"Why should it matter if you have a good reputation?"

"Because that's all I have!"

Silence fell over the room. She hadn't meant to shout that but it was true. All she had was her damn popularity. There was always someone smarter and more capable than her. So she was raised to be a socialite.

She had never questioned it until Elphaba came along. She was so different and so uncaring of her social standing she was almost envious. To be that carefree….

"I'm sorry you feel that way."

She stayed buried beneath her pillow and they didn't exchanged any other words for the rest of the night.

Since that day she found herself tolerating the green girl more. She would complain to Elphaba about Pfanee and Shenshen more and more and the girl always listened.

Even if her replies were short or sarcastic they helped. It was nice talking to someone that wouldn't go blabbing to somebody else or hold it against you.

Her barbs about Elphaba's looks became less often and on more than one occasion they were even cordial with each other. It seemed her initial loathing for Elphaba wore off. They were sort of even becoming friends she'd say. However that was more than she could say for her classmates. The insults were showing up faster than ever.

"Hey Oz's traveling circus is looking for new acts you could be their next starring as the human vegetable."

Laughter broke out in the classroom but Elphaba sat unmoving.

"The Green Obscene!"

More cackling.

"Or what about the ugly artichoke? "

She knew Elphaba was strong but this was rough. Where was their professor? They were sure to go on and on.

"Hey now that's pretty offensive." somebody said and eyes shot towards the Munchkin boy. "for artichokes!" he added and Elphaba's expression twisted.

She wanted to stand up for her wanted to tell them all to just let her be but not once in her life had she ever gone against the crowd. She just wasn't capable of it. Thankfully the professor came in before it could get any worse for Elphaba . The rest of the class she watched Elphaba in silent sympathy and suddenly, like the wind had just forced open a heavy door, she realized she cared for Elphaba. Perhaps more than any of her catty friends.

At the end of the day they both took to their own sides of the room. Elphaba never spoke to her unless she initiated the conversation. And when she did her responses were short and clipped. Tonight started no different.

"Miss Elphaba are you going to take a shower or can I?"

"No. Go ahead."

She thought it was odd she never showered but figured she must've at some point. Maybe when she wasn't around. She didn't smell bad and her hair was always so shiny.

After her shower Elphaba eyed her with a look in her eyes that made her concerned for her roommate. Elphaba was looking at her like she was going to hurt her.

"Elphie-May I call you Elphie?"

"Yes."

"Are you feeling well?"

"I feel fine."

She sat on her bed, curious as to her roommate's sudden alertness.

"Are you going to get ready for bed as well?"

"No I have to finish studying."

"Ok just try not to keep that light on for too much longer. It's bound to keep me up."

Elphaba nodded and she turned away wrapping herself in her blankets. Elphaba was very peculiar and it wasn't the lights keeping her up but her thoughts. She turned in her bed towards Elphaba.

"Why are you green?"she asked softly. Far softer than she would have ever expected from herself.

She didn't get a response right away and wondered if perhaps she really hadn't heard her.

"I was born this way. We all can't be graced with beauty."

"Oh…"

More silence followed and she was grateful for the darkness on her side as tears inexplicably filled her eyes. She thought of all the horrible names she and her classmates called her throughout the semester.

"You're not ugly."

"That's just your delusion speaking…"

Elphaba rolled her eyes

"No," she said sincerely. "Your outfit yes but I don't think you're ugly."

Elphaba turned back towards her and studied the expression on her face.

"Thank you but for most people I'm...disgusting ."

She winced. So she really had heard them that day after all.

"Elphaba-"

"Just go to sleep." she said angrily turning back to her book. She turned her back to Elphaba and tried to fall asleep but the terrible feeling in her chest refused to let her do so easily.

 **Leave a review if you'd be so kind. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

When she woke up Elphaba was already gone. She wondered if she had got up early just to beat the crowds and frowned. Why did she suddenly feel so bad for her? This wasn't making any sense. She rarely concerned herself with the feelings of others.

Pushing aside her bothersome thoughts she got dressed for the day. Her make up was applied perfectly and her hair curled just the way she liked it. A smile even graced her lips as she caught sight of her reflection. She looked beautiful. This realization had her momentarily frowning again as she recalled what Elphaba said. _We can't all be graced with beauty._

Oh poor Elphaba.

She put a hand across her chest as she thought this. Now it was all making sense. She pitied Elphaba. Pitied her greenness and how it blinded everyone. It didn't seem fair to be judged so quickly in life. Elphaba was smart, witty, strong, and not at all the monster people wanted her to be. It just wasn't fair.

She sighed and with a gently shake of her head went down for breakfast.

She saw Elphaba right away. It was hard not too with that green and oddly alluring complexion. She was eating by herself a book in one hand and a spoon in the other occasionally bringing cereal up to her mouth. She found the balancing act funny actually.

Nobody dared sit near her. But she could hear whispers and see others looking at her as well. Except, their curiosity did not match the same intensity as hers. The more she spent time studying her the more beautiful she found her to be. Smooth skin, a hawkish nose, brown eyes, and those slender hands….A warm feeling washed over her at the observation and she found herself trying to make sense of it. Elphaba's attention remained glued to her text and she was thankful it allowed her to study the girl. She was being careless though, standing in the way of a cafeteria worker and she was soon paying for it as his cart barreled into her side.

She yelped loud enough for heads to turn. Even Elphaba tore her eyes away from her book. She blushed bright red at her clumsiness.

"Oh I'm so sorry miss I didn't see you there!"

"It's-its quite alright." she stuttered quickly escaping the cafeteria all together. How embarrassing!

What in Oz was that? She felt her cheeks still burning as she went all the way back to her room.

She thought about what happened all throughout the day unable to listen to a word any of her classmates or professors said. When classes were over she went straight back to their room hoping to catch her roommate and speak with her. Maybe then this odd fascination would finally sate itself.

Elphaba wasn't there though so she busied herself hoping she would return soon. Minutes turned into hours. She grew restless and tired of her fashion magazines. Elphaba wasn't coming back anytime soon. She sighed and started up a bubble bath. This day was just horrendous. Extra bubbles were a must. She slid into the warm pool of water and smiled at the bubbles. They always had a way of cheering her up. She leaned back against the tub and closed her eyes.

She must have dozed off because the next thing she knew there was a pounding on the bathroom door.

"Are you quite finished?!"

It was Elphaba. Her stomach flipped and she furrowed her brow at the reaction. Why did the sound of Elphaba's voice do _that._

"I'll be right out!"

She stepped out of the tub carelessly bringing a puddle of water out onto the floor with her. How long was she in there? She looked down at pruny hands and wrinkled her nose in distaste. Too long.

"Galinda!" Elphaba growled. "Hurry up."

"I'm hurrying." she snapped back.

"Well hurry faster. I've been waiting for you to finish up now for well over an hour!"

Over an hour…She quickly dried herself off and threw on a robe.

"Finally!" Elphaba said pushing past her with her nightgown in hand. The bathroom door shut behind her and she frowned at her roommates less than welcoming demeanor. She was Galinda for goodness sake! Everyone loved her.

She moved to her dresser but before she even pulled anything out she heard a terrible cry from the bathroom.

She rushed to the door heart racing.

"Elphaba! Are you okay?"

She heard another albeit smaller sob and jerked the door open. She gasped immediately. Elphaba sat on the tile floor clutching her bare feet with her face buried between her knees. The sight truly was horrendous. Her feet looked like they were burning, blistered, and singed. She rushed over to her roommate.

"What happened?! Should I get help?"

"No." she croaked.

"I don't understand how did-"

"This is your fault."Elphaba snapped.

"What?"

"The water."

"What?" she repeated.

Elphaba let out another hiss of pain before explaining.

"My skin causes me to have an adverse reaction to water. I can't come in direct contact with it or _this_ happens."

"Oh I'm so sorry I had no idea."

Elphaba gripped tightly onto the back of her knees, seemingly in too much pain to even speak.

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Just….clean...it up…"

She nodded her head vigorously and fetched a towel right away. After wiping it up it was only then she realized that the damage was far more extensive than the soles of her feet.

One of her arms . .. She must've accidentally put it in the tub after discovering her burning feet. Oh this was her fault! She hadn't even drained the darn tub. She yanked out the stopper and looked back to her green roommate.

"What else?"

"Top drawer of my bedside table there's a bottle of oil…."

She hurried back into their room and open the drawer. The oil was in a small black bottle she grabbed it rushed back to Elphaba.

"I can do it." Elphaba said reaching for the jar but she shook her head and moved it out of reach.

"Like you said this is my fault."

"I was just angry. It's not your fault. I never told you."

"But if i hadn't left such a mess you'd be fine."

Elphaba was about to protest again but she wasn't going to give her a chance to. She carefully moved one of Elphaba's feet in her lap and started massaging the oil into it.

"Really Galinda I can do that." Elphaba was uncomfortable with her touching her she could sense it from the way she leaned back against the cabinet.

"But I want too." she said caringly.

"You want to touch my hideous green feet?." she countered causing her to frown. "I wouldn't want to touch anybody's feet."

"They're kind of cute." she said out loud and immediately wanted to take it back. "Minus the burns…and it wouldn't hurt you to paint your toenails."

She hoped her face wasn't red at this point.

Silence washed over them as she carried on applying more salve to her burns. The skin was smooth on top of her feet. So green and -

"I've never painted my nails before."

"What?! Elphie you have to let me!" There was a small break in their conversation. Elphaba didn't refuse her request but simply drew her attention elsewhere. So she still had hope.

"My Nanny used to call me Elphie…."

"Do you not like it?"

"No. I do. Its just its been a while. "

Elphaba gave her small almost lopsided grin. Her stomach whirled with butterflies being on the receiving end of it. Elphaba really was beautiful.

She cast her gaze back down to Elphaba's burned feet and frowned. What if she had tripped and fell into the tub! She could have killed her!

"Galinda." She looked up and found averting eyes. "Your robe is slipping."

She readjusted her robe after discovering a good swell exposed to her. The material must've slipped when she moved her feet. Elphaba looked greener than usual.

"Are you feeling ill too? Is it the water?"

"No...I'm Fine. The Oil helps. Thank you…"

"Of course Elphie ."

Elphaba cleared her throat and let her finish applying it, though her discomfort at being touched returned.

"Am I hurting you?"

"No." Elphaba let out a shaky breath and rested her head back against the cabinet.

She continued to rub in the oil absorbing herself in the task.

Elphaba shut her eyes and let the moment carry itself out.

* * *

This whole situation was unfamiliar to her. She never had anyone willing to touch any part of her body. The notion touched her heart in an unexpected way. She misjudged Galinda despite how rude she was to her at the start of the year. Now she was actually dare she say pleasant to be around.

When Galindas robe started to slip though it took her longer than what was appropriate to tell her. she let it continue to slip, her body reacting in an unexpected way until reason caught up with her. Galinda was not something to be gawked at she knew that feeling all too well. When Galinda asked her if she was ill she tried to suppress the blush but it only deepened. Innocent Galinda didn't know a thing about her anatomy. When she blushed her skin would turn a dark practically forest green. She sighed as Galindas touch slowed and gradually became more tender. She hadn't thought it was possible.

Her initial anger towards putting her in this situation in the first place was gone. Galinda was making up for it far more than expected. Her soft warm hands moving along her skin stirred something in her. Though she never had felt it before she had read enough books to know what it meant. She swallowed thickly and opened her eyes.

Galinda was looking right at her and she wondered for how long too.

"Your arm." Galinda breathed.

She nodded.

"Will you let me?…"

She didn't trust her voice enough to speak and just nodded once more .

Galinda moved even closer to her on the floor now. Her knee resting against her thigh as she administered the oil to her arm. Fingers danced across her arm delicately rubbing in the soothing oil. At one point she swore she felt Galinda squeeze her arm in attempt to feel the muscle there. But that was absurd.

Galinda worked slowly down to her hand. By the time she finished her entire body felt weightless. Her breath short and nearly nonexistent .

The blonde held her hand before letting it go and locked eyes with her. The gaze looking back at her had her heart leaping out of her chest from the intensity of it.

"Elphie let's get you to bed ."

"I dropped my gown in the tub…."

"That's okay. You can borrow one of mine."

"I'm not so sure it would fit."

"It's just to sleep in."

"Okay."

Galinda stood and offered her a hand. She took the help getting to her feet hissing while her feet met the floor. The cool tile felt nice against her skin but it didn't take away from the pain.

"Galinda…. I need your shoulder. " she said after realizing she was practically walking with butter on her feet. Galinda was smaller than her. She had to be careful not to lean too much on her. The blonde helped by wrapping an arm around her waist and they moved slowly out of the bathroom.

"How will you get around tomorrow Elphie?"

The concern in her voice gripped at her heart.

"I'll be fine. I just need to rest."

That was a lie. She knew rest would hardly alleviate this pain but Galinda felt guilty enough as it was. They finally reached her bed and she sat down with a sigh. Galinda hurried over to her wardrobe picking out a nightgown for her to wear.

"This will look great on you!"

The blonde clapped her hands in excitement and took the gown over to her.

"Its….pink."

"Pink goes great with green!"

She pursed her lips but didn't fight with her on the subject.

"Would you…"

"Oh of course!"

Galinda bounced behind wasn't what she meant! All she wanted was a little privacy this was the exact opposite of privacy.

Galinda unbuttoned the back of her grey dress for her, her fingers just barely brushing against her skin in the process leaving her entire body feeling electrified.

She pushed down the fabric for her and stepped away letting her do the rest, quickly putting on the outrageously pink nightgown. Galinda beamed at her as soon as she saw her in it.

"Why Elphie! You look beautiful." she darkened at the compliment. There was a fair amount of room in the chest area wearing said nightgown but it was comfortable, more comfortable than her own.

"Thank you Galinda. Good night." she crawled underneath her covers and her roommate reluctantly left her side.


End file.
